West Palm Beach, FL, October 06, 2014 — Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith, PLLC (LLL&S) announces that personal injury litigator Paul Jacobs has joined the Firm. Jacobs will be based in the Firm’s Boca Raton office, focusing on growing its practice of Plaintiff personal injury in the areas of automobile injury, motorcycle and ATV injury, wrongful/accidental deaths, and insurance bad faith. Admitted to the Florida Bar in 1985, Jacobs is a member of both the Florida Bar and South Palm Beach County Bar Association.

According to LLL&S Managing Partner Gary Lesser, the Firm recruited Jacobs because of his successful 30-year successful track record in litigating personal injury cases, including over 20 years practicing law and being involved in the Boca Raton community. He joins LLL&S from Jacobs & Straus, P.A., a law firm he founded in Boca Raton in 1991 with his wife, Geri Sue Straus who he met while he and she were earning their Juris Doctorates at the University of Miami School of Law. Following a courageous battle she valiantly waged against cancer for several years, “Susie” passed away in 2013, and Jacobs began exploring both business and personal transitions.

“We pursued Paul because of his legal expertise, skills, and strategies,” said Lesser. “With Paul now as an integral part of our legal team, we look forward to growing our business, relationships and client service in South Palm Beach County.” He added that Jacobs will continue the Firm’s strong support for the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce, the Adolf & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center and Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County.

Prior to founding Jacobs & Straus, P.A., Jacobs was a partner in the law firm Aronovitz & Jacobs, P.A., where he expanded the firm’s personal injury practice. After receiving his Juris Doctorate in 1985 from the University of Miami Law School and admittance to the Florida Bar, Paul began his law career as an associate attorney handling Plaintiff’s personal injury and medical malpractice cases. While in law school, Paul served as both a law clerk and bailiff in the 11th Judicial Circuit of Miami-Dade County for Judge Francis X. Knuck.

“When you lose a dynamic partner in life and business, it is a quite a daunting step to transition out from a family-owned practice, but the opportunity to join Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith is a welcomed, natural fit,” noted Jacobs. “We share the same core values and ethics, respect and love for the legal profession, and an unwavering commitment to advocacy and client service for those who are to be protected by the law.”

Paul was born and raised in New York, and he graduated from Ramapo High School in Spring Valley and attended State University of New York at Binghamton, where he majored in Political Science and graduated in 1977. As a long time Boca Raton resident and father of two children, Kirby and Sam, Paul spent many years active in coaching Boca youth league sports. He has served as the President of the Boca Tierra Homeowners Association since 1991, and he and his family are longtime members of Temple Beth El in Boca Raton.

Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith, PLLC, the third oldest law firm in Palm Beach County, was established in 1927 by Joseph H. Lesser in West Palm Beach, and has been serving clients throughout Florida for over 85 years, focusing on serious personal injury and wrongful death cases. LLL&S (www.lesserlawfirm.com) enjoys a reputation in the community for superior legal skills, hard work, client service and high ethical standards. All Firm partners are /126″AV/126″ rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating in ethics and legal ability. LLL&S is active in the community, and has donated significant time and financial support to numerous charities. The Firm has obtained substantial settlements and verdicts over the years and is well known to insurance companies and insurance defense lawyers as skillful advocates. This experience and reputation allows the Firm to obtain the best possible results for its clients.

For more information on Paul Jacobs and LLL&S with offices in West Palm Beach, Boca Raton and Stuart, call Meghan Fielder at (561) 367-7799 or visit www.lesserlawfirm.com.

As reported in today’s legal press, Rocketlawyer, an established US legal documents and services brand, will be launching later this month in the UK.

In addition to offering a range of interactive online legal documents at a very competitive price, the company will also have a small number of selected panel solicitors who will assist with content for the Rocketlawyer website and will offer additional services to Rocketlawyer customers.

The fact that law firms will be working closely with Rocketlawyer means that a customer who wants to use one of the documents on the site and has completed most of the document but still has follow up questions or unusual requirements, will have access to expert, discounted legal advice.

As part of the discussions and criteria for panel membership, a law firm needs to satisfy Rocketlawyer that it has the right attitude to dealing with online legal customers, who expect not only high quality legal advice but excellent service. Firms must also demonstrate that they are active online and fully embrace the importance of the internet for the future of legal services.

The discussions between Darlingtons and Rocketlawyer did not take long to result in fruition. Both parties recognised that they have much in common and a very similar outlook.

James Swede, Managing Partner of Darlingtons comments, “As soon as I saw that Rocketlawyer were entering into the UK market I was interested in talking with them. I met with Mark Edwards of Rocketlawyer just a few days later, and it only took an hour over a coffee to quickly realise that they are the type of people we like doing business with and vice versa. Our online presence is very important to us and we recognise that there is big market for using online applications to make law easier and more cost effective. Our services will compliment and enhance the interactive documents provide by Rocketlawyer and in my view, any firm which sees interactive legal documents as a threat has a mistaken and shortsighted approach. Not only that but they will be swimming against a very strong tide”

The AV Preeminent® is a significant rating accomplishment – a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence. An extremely dedicated attorney, Bernard Walsh, was admitted into the Florida Bar Association in 1978 and has been actively serving the Florida justice system for 34 years.

Mr. Walsh obtained this AV Preeminent® rating by garnering the praise of his peers in an objective review by other bar members and judges. Reviewers rated Mr. Walsh on a number of factors including ethical standards and legal ability in the personal injury and wrongful death areas of practice.

Now a partner with the Florida personal injury law firm Shapiro Goldman Babboni & Walsh; Mr. Walsh has demonstrated his leadership in the Florida legal community by founding the Manasota Trial Lawyers Board, an organization of Southwest Florida’s prominent trial lawyers and by his years of service and successes in representing injured clients.

During the review process Mr. Walsh received praise from many Bar members. One such Attorney had this to say about Bernie Walsh, “I have known Mr. Walsh for many years and have defended cases brought by him. He is an excellent lawyer who cares deeply about his clients.” That reviewer rated Mr. Walsh 5 out of 5.

Another bar member remarked, “Definitely the “go to guy” for any questions regarding the practice of personal injury.” Comments like “I have known Mr. Walsh for many years and have defended cases brought by him. He is an excellent lawyer who cares deeply about his clients,” illustrated his worthiness to receive the rating of AV Preeminent®.

Attorney Bernard Walsh had this to say about his recognition by the AV Preeminent® rating “I am deeply honored by the comments of my fellow attorneys. It’s wonderful to have the years of hard work recognized. Receiving this honor helps my clients better understand the level of dedication and expertise we offer for their behalf.”

On July 3, 2012, a jury found that Escort, Inc. (www.escortradar.com) and Beltronics USA, Inc. (www.beltronics.com) infringed numerous claims in U.S. Patent Nos. RE39,038 and RE40,653. In particular, the jury held that Escort’s Passport 9500i, Passport 9500ix, and Passport iQ radar detectors, together with Beltronics USA’s GX65 radar detectors, directly infringe claims 3, 5, 6, 7, 25, 26, 27, and 28 of U.S. Patent No. RE39,038 (“the ‘038 patent”) and claims 22, 31, 32, 33, 38, and 41 of U.S. Patent No. RE40,653 (“the ‘653 patent”). The jury also found that Escort and Beltronics contributed to the infringement of claims 3, 5, 6, 7, 25, and 28 in the ‘038 patent and claims 22, 24, 31, 32, and 33 in the ‘653 patent. The jury further found that Escort’s Passport 9500ix and Passport iQ radar detectors, together with Beltronics USA’s GX65 radar detectors, infringe claim 24 of the ‘653 patent.

The ‘038 and the ‘653 patents are owned by Hoyt Fleming, an Idaho inventor of 37 U.S. Patents. On March 10, 2009, Mr. Fleming filed a complaint (Case Number 1:09-cv-00105-BLW, United States District Court District of Idaho) alleging that Escort and Beltronics USA infringed the ‘038 and the ‘653 patents. Escort alleged that certain claims of the Fleming patents were invalid because Steven Orr, while working for Cincinnati Microwave, Inc. in 1996, made Fleming’s invention earlier in time than Fleming. On July 3, 2012, after a trial spanning more than two-weeks that included live testimony from Steven Orr, John Kuhn (Escort’s Vice President of Engineering), and John Larson (Escort’s President), the jury refused to invalidate the above claims of the Fleming patents based upon Steven Orr’s alleged prior work.

“I am very happy with the jury’s verdict because the jury held that Escort and Beltronics are infringing two of my patents. I am looking forward to a future trial in which another jury will also find that Escort and Beltronics and many of their retailers, including Best Buy and Amazon.com, are willfully infringing a third of my radar detector patents, U.S. Patent No. RE41,905,” said Mr. Fleming. Mr. Fleming is represented by Mr. Michael S. Dowler ofPark, Vaughan, Fleming, and Dowler LLP in Houston, Texas. Escort and Beltronics USA are represented by Gregory F. Ahrens and Brett A. Schatz and of Wood Herron & Evans in Cincinnati, OH together with Steven B. Andersen of Holland and Hart in Boise, ID.

In March of 2011, members of the Operation Guardians program visited the Desert Knolls Convalescent Hospital in Victorville, California to perform a surprise inspection. The inspectors noted a number of potential health code violations and conditions that may contribute to health and medical treatment complications.

Operation Guardian was launched by the State Department of Justice in the year 2000. Investigation participants perform on-site inspections of nursing home facilities without giving prior notification of their arrival. It was not until recently that these reports had been made available to the public.

Among the numerous unfavorable reports, investigators noted instances of potential maltreatment in which the Desert Knolls “facility’s inaccurate documentation of resident’s wounds may be preventing the resident from receiving the correct wound care treatment.”There were also reports of residents being unable to easily summon assistance, due to their positioning away from staff call buttons.

Additional observation found that Desert Knolls Convalescent Hospital’s Resident Abuse Investigation Policy and Procedures was not in compliance with California State law.

Estimates provided by the American Psychological Association (APA) have found that 2.1 million senior Americans fall victim to psychological, physical, or other forms of neglect and abuse. The APA also reports that elders who have been abused tend to die earlier than those who are not abused.

John Bisnar, California elder abuse attorney, has assisted a number of victims and distributes resources to help raise awareness for seniors who suffer maltreatment. “There are several nursing homes throughout the state of California that fail to provide their guests with adequate care, but rarely do they receive the press that is required to increase efforts to prevent them.”

“Hopefully, Operation Guardian’s reports will create enough awareness to spur our politicians into creating safer environments for our loved ones. Our parents and grandparents deserve to live out the remainder of their lives with more respect than many of these facilities provide.”Says Mr. Bisnar.

Victims of elder abuse are encouraged to contact their local law enforcement officials immediately following instances of maltreatment.

Former Merit Systems Protection Board judge and nationally recognized legal professional Stuart A. Miller has joined the Atlanta law firm of Kitchens New Cleghorn, LLC as Of Counsel, bringing 33 years of extensive experience with federal employment law.

Miller comes to the firm having recently retired as Administrative Judge with the MSPB Atlanta Regional Office, where he served for 21 years. His career also includes positions as Associate Counsel for Personnel and Ethics with the Defense Contract Management Agency and as Labor Counselor with the Department of the Army.

Miller started May 1.

“I chose KNC because of its impeccable reputation for excellence, integrity and fairness in dealing with clients and opposing counsel,” Miller said. “ I was honored to join a firm of consummate professionals.”

Addition Brings Far-Reaching Expertise to Atlanta Law Firm

Miller brings an impressive resume which partners Joyce Kitchens, Randy New and Jeff Cleghorn consider an invaluable addition to the firm.

A former adjunct faculty member of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps School, in Charlottesville, Va., Miller has specialized in MSPB practice and procedure and made countless presentations on labor law topics. Miller also spent years as a teacher for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. In addition, for more than a decade, Miller has been the featured speaker at the federal Bar Association’s yearly Labor Law Symposium, in Huntsville, Ala.

“As a former federal judge, Stu Miller brings decades of legal experience to Kitchens New Cleghorn,” said KNC partner Jeff Cleghorn. “Judge Miller is nationally respected for his subject-matter expertise.”

Miller received his law degree in 1978 from the Emory University School of Law and has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland.

Miller Expands Employment Law Capabilities at Atlanta Law Firm

Miller’s extensive federal employment law background is particularly valuable to KNC, which maintains an MSPB and federal employment law branch. In his position as Of Counsel, Miller will work closely with KNC partners and lend his years of experience to resolving cases involving this sophisticated area of law.

Entertaining online consumer siteClaimsHeaven.co.uk has added a new free online game that takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the personal injury compensation industry in the UK to their array of claims resources.

If you’ve ever wondered about the personal industry claims market, and whether those adverts promising massive payouts if you have “been injured in an accident at home, at work or on the road” actually encourage a culture where people see being injured as a chance to cash in, then ClaimsHeaven.co.uk has a lot of interesting information and resources that can explain the way this controversial industry works, and help those who need to make genuine compensation claims avoid being ripped off or seduced by the promises of unscrupulous companies.

The latest tool the site offers consumers is a new free online game called Train 2 Claim that “trains” the player to become a better personal injury claimant. It involves the player’s character walking down a typical street with manhole covers and loose paving slabs, and having the ability to move to avoid these potential trip hazards. If you step on them, you’ll fall over, getting more and more injured the more times it happens. When the timer is up, you go and visit a compensation claims company to see how you’ve done. You then get a chance to try again, helping you learn what you need to do to get a bigger payout!

As well as being entertaining, it is intended to illustrate the problems in the personal industry claims market in the UK right now, and highlight the methods companies use that could potentially persuade people to make claims. The site is all about supporting legitimate claimants and helping people to understand the pitfalls and scams that exist in the UK claims industry, and aims to present its information through insightful, fun and interesting methods like this game.

Train 2 Claim is free to play through any popular internet browser, and users don’t need to submit any personal details to get access to the game, or any of the other information or games and resources on the site.

Prenuptial agreement is a complex legal matter that covers up a multitude of concerns. It can cover spousal rights in divorce or death, state and federal taxes, corporate planning, residences, and in many cases child rearing. Finding the right prenuptial agreements lawyer in Atlanta, therefore, is crucial if you want everything set straight and in place.

Here are some tips that you can use in finding the right lawyer for your prenup attorney to suit your specific marital circumstances.

Choose a Licensed Prenuptial Agreements Lawyer

Since your prenup agreement will be enforced in Atlanta , choose a prenup attorney that is licensed to practice his profession in Georgia . This is important because a prenuptial agreement specifies the state where the prenuptial agreement will take effect. Each state has its own provisions when it comes to implementing and enforcing prenups.

Choose a Lawyer With Experience In Negotiating And Drafting Prenups

The Uniform Marital Agreement Act is a complex law which will overwhelm an inexperience prenuptial agreements lawyer in Atlanta . He might draft provisions in your prenup that will render the agreement invalid in the future. If the lawyer is new, be sure that the law firm he is working for provides the assistance of an experienced lawyer.

Choose a Lawyer That Will Offer An Upfront Price Quote

Before they go out looking for a prenup attoryney, a couple must first decide how much they are willing to spend for a prenup agreement. Legal fees can be quite expensive. A couple must set a budget and stick to it. You must discuss fees and other costs with the lawyer before deciding to hire his services, or you might find yourself backing out in the middle of the procedure. You can always negotiate with the lawyer, especially if he is into private practice. But always remember that experienced lawyer are always more expensive than newbies.

Choose a Lawyer Who Doesn’t Promise the Impossible

Don’t believe it when a prenuptial lawyer tells you with certainty that your prenup deal will get enforced by the court. The courts will evaluate prenups according to their fairness and reasonableness. These are things that a practical prenuptial lawyer cannot promise a one hundred percent certainty. All things said, an experienced prenuptial agreements lawyer in Atlanta knows the factors that a court considers in the evaluation of a prenup agreement and will give you a fair assessment of its chances of getting the court’s approval.

The American Bar Association has published The Forensic Accounting Deskbook: A Practical Guide to Financial Investigation and Analysis for Family Lawyers. Authored by Memphis divorce attorney, Miles Mason, Sr., JD, CPA, The Forensic Accounting Deskbook is an easy-to-follow introduction to the world of forensic accounting and managing divorce litigation involving complex assets. Written primarily for family lawyers, forensic accountants and individuals going through divorce can also learn how to recognize when an opposing spouse might be manipulating financial records and sharing misleading disclosures. It may be purchased over the Internet from the ABA’s store, or see www.ForensicAccountingDeskbook.com for a quick hyperlink.

Miles Mason, Sr. JD, CPA, practices family law exclusively in Memphis, Tennessee with his firm, Miles Mason Family Law Group, PLC. He has presented many seminars at national and regional conferences on forensic accounting, business valuation, and divorce on topics including discovering hidden assets, reviewing financial statements and tax returns, and complex litigation. Mr. Mason is a member of the American, Tennessee, and Memphis Bar Associations’ Family Law Sections, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and Tennessee Society of CPA’s.

He serves the ABA Family Law Section as Liaison to the AICPA and is past chair of the Tennessee Bar Association Family Law Section. Please see www.MemphisDivorce.com for more information.

Randall M. Kessler, Atlanta divorce lawyer and Chair of the American Bar Association Family Law Section, says in his Foreword: “From the beginning of the book all the way through to the very end, Miles makes it easy to understand the often complex subject matter he discusses, while at the same time making you aware of how much more there is to know. He then feeds it to you like spoon-feeding a baby. From the basic concepts and practical sample deposition questions to forensic accounting methodology and techniques, this book is a must-have for any practitioner of family law who handles cases involving contentious financial issues—and who doesn’t?”

In divorce, the opposing spouse’s submission of false financial information can adversely affect a person’s property division, child support, and alimony. Financial documents and accounting concepts are at the core of all asset identification, classification, and valuation, as well as income determination. The Forensic Accounting Deskbook connects the dots and fills gaps among the interrelated topics of written discovery, depositions, schemes to defraud, manipulation of company books, expert witness reports, forensic accounting methodology and techniques, financial statements, tax returns, stock options, pensions, and trial testimony.

Forensic accountants will benefit from reading The Forensic Accounting Deskbook by adding depth of knowledge to why their services are needed, the procedural rules and discovery opportunities involved with their work, and how to better sell their services. The book informs family lawyers about the mechanics and details of direct and cross examination, professional standards, and ethics. These are all topics forensic accountants should know cold, but many don’t. Included in the book are several sections of detailed sample questions and answers for the aspects of deposition and trial testimony that are common to many types of forensic accounting engagements.

Individuals going through divorce may also find The Forensic Accounting Deskbook helpful because the book is written for lawyers who do not have expertise in finance and accounting. The book’s central focus explains the roles performed by family lawyers and forensic accounting experts in litigation, as well as the process of litigating a divorce involving complex financial issues. A higher level of understanding of the financial aspects of divorce can only lead to making better decisions.

The world of family law is a constantly changing one that affects all families regardless of race, creed, color, class, income level or sexual orientation. New legal issues arise everyday and older ones become more and more complex.

In today’s world, even simple legal matters can lead to complex court battles that can strip families of their rights. Many families make the situation worse with do it yourself law. The fastest way to annoy a judge and turn a court against you is with do it yourself law. Yet, that is what families do every day in issues ranging from adoption to domestic partnerships to child custody to probate matters.

In many cases courts will simply throw out any legal document filed by such do it yourself lawyers. They may also ignore persons without legal representation. That can put families at a disadvantage particularly when they are unfamiliar with courts and the law and do not understand the situation.

Get a Lawyer from the Beginning

The best solution is to get a lawyer from the beginning. The minute a legal issue arises a family should consult a family lawyer in Athens. Even if only one consultation is needed it can save you a fortune. If legal documents are prepared right and filed right the first time, they are less likely to be successfully challenged or thrown out by the courts.

The attorney can also alert the family to other issues that they may not be aware of. For example: potential challenges or questions or legal requirements that they may not know about. Such problems can arise even in seemingly simple matters like adoption.

Whenever a family starts a complex legal process such as adoption or an application for child custody they will need an attorney to protect their rights. Our court system only respects the rights of those who fight for them. Persons who leave themselves at the mercy of the courts will often find themselves stripped of their rights.

There is no reason for any family to see its rights trampled in a simple matter like an adoption. The law exists to protect everybody equally including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual people. Unfortunately the law only protects you when you use it. If you do not use your legal rights will lose them.

Therefore families need to have attorneys to protect their legal rights in the always changing world of family law.

Osbornes solicitors, based in Pratt Street in Camden, is pleased to announce that our application to become a member of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme has been successful. The Law Society’s Transaction Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) is a quality standard for residential conveyancing practices.

The Conveyancing Quality Scheme was launched in January 2011, since when over 900 law firms have applied for the quality mark. Out of these firms fewer than 300 have been admitted thus far.

The CQS is a scheme designed to give clients (buyers, sellers and lenders) confidence in the standard of conveyancing work they will receive by providing a recognisable kitemark for accredited conveyancing firms. It is based on a new Law Society Protocol which aims to achieve consistent standards across the sector in order to speed up the conveyancing process and provide more certainty for buyers and sellers.

Jan Atkinson, Partner and Head of the property law Department at Osbornes commented:

“Receiving this quality mark from the Law Society strengthens the existing reputation that our property team has of providing high quality advice and service to its clients. This independent quality mark from the Law Society demonstrates that the members of the property team at Osbornes provide an expert service to their clients.”

Quigal.com — an online lawyer search service, which only accepts listings from attorneys with exceptional credentials — has chosen the winner of its “Win a Kindle Sweepstakes,” a free contest that gave Quigal’s users an opportunity to provide constructive feedback on the site.

To enter the contest, users were asked to provide feedback on Quigal.com’s website, to join Quigal.com’s Facebook page, or to follow Quigal.com on Twitter. One entrant was randomly chosen to win an Amazon Kindle.

The feedback Quigal.com received in response to the sweepstakes was overwhelmingly positive. Here is a sample:

• “I think Quigal is very easy to use. I hope it becomes more popular. These sites are sometimes very confusing.”
• “What a great concept for a website! Looking in the phone book for a lawyer is very daunting; there are so many of them and it’s hard to navigate.”
• “I’m happy to see that there are so many attorneys listed in my area! I’m glad to know about this great resource.”
• “I think this is a wonderful website that is very useful. I’ve shared the website with my family and friends.”
• “Very interesting. Would definitely use this search if I ever need legal counsel. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even know where to start!”
• “A great way to find an attorney; the majority of people may not have personal references to so many types!”

“We are excited about the positive response to our solicitation for feedback,” noted Renate Harrison, founder and CEO. “We can now confidently expand and improve our service with the knowledge that it is meeting a need.”

Guy Crabtree, a partner at Pulley Watson, King & Lischer, P.A. in Durham, has been re-elected to the Executive Committee of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice (NCAJ), a state-wide association of attorneys who protect the rights of all North Carolinians in civil and criminal cases. The election took place at the association’s annual convention currently being held at the Hilton Riverside in Wilmington. Mr. Crabtree has been an active member of the organization since 1978 and has previously served as Vice-President for Education and Vice-President for Communications. During the 2010 -11 term, he will serve as President-Elect and is scheduled to take on the Presidency in June 2011.

Mr. Crabtree has over 30 years of legal experience and is best known for his representation of victims in auto wrecks caused by drunk drivers, polluters in environmental and toxic tort cases, medical malpractice and nursing home negligence. In 1983, he began as a partner with King, Walker, Lambe & Crabtree. Then, in 1999 he became a partner at Pulley, Watson, King & Lischer, P.A. where he currently practices in Durham.

Mr. Crabtree attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he attained a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. He holds his law degree from North Carolina Central University, where he graduated with honors, and was admitted to the State Bar in 1978. Mr. Crabtree work has been rated “AV”, the highest rating for legal ability and general ethical standards set by Martindale-Hubbell, a respected national legal directory. In addition, Mr. Crabtree has been included on the lists of The Best Lawyers in America by Woodward/White and Super Lawyers of North Carolina .

The NC Advocates for Justice (NCAJ) and its 4,000 members are dedicated to protecting the rights of all North Carolinians. NCAJ provides continuing legal education for lawyers aimed at enhancing the quality of the legal profession, offers public education programs aimed at enhancing public access and understanding of the legal system, amicus briefs for the appellate courts, and advocacy work at the legislature in the areas of criminal and civil justice. The association has served its members for over 45 years.

Philip A Baddour Jr., a partner at Baddour, Parker & Hine, PC in Goldsboro, has been elected President of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice (NCAJ), a state-wide association of attorneys who protect the rights of all North Carolinians in civil and criminal cases. The election took place at the association’s annual convention currently being held at the Hilton Riverside in Wilmington. He recently served as the association’s President-Elect, and previously served as Legislative Vice President and as a member of the NCAJ Board of Governors.

Today, Mr. Baddour replaces David Pishko of Elliot Pishko Morgan P.A. (Winston-Salem), who held the position of President in 2009-2010. Mr. Baddour is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He received his law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1967. He brings 41 years of experience to his practice of Personal Injury, Workers’ Compensation, Social Security Disability and Civil Litigation. Mr. Baddour represents the Goldsboro Housing Authority, Wayne Community College and the Village of Walnut Creek. Additionally, he is a certified mediator and frequently mediates cases for attorneys across Eastern North Carolina.

A native of Goldsboro, Mr. Baddour was formerly a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives where he served as the Majority Leader in the House for two terms. He has also served on the Commission for the Future of the Courts in North Carolina, the North Carolina Economic Development Board and the North Carolina Board of Transportation. He is a past president of the Goldsboro Area Chamber of Commerce, the Wayne County Economic Development Commission and the Goldsboro Rotary Club. Also, Mr. Baddour is a retired Colonel with the North Carolina National Guard, where he served as Staff Judge Advocate.

The NC Advocates for Justice (NCAJ) and its 4,000 members are dedicated to protecting the rights of all North Carolinians. NCAJ provides continuing legal education for lawyers aimed at enhancing the quality of the legal profession, offers public education programs aimed at enhancing public access and understanding of the legal system, amicus briefs for the appellate courts, and advocacy work at the legislature in the areas of criminal and civil justice. The association has served its members for over 45 years.

Quigal.com is celebrating its national launch with a sweepstakes campaign, which will award the winner an Amazon Kindle.

Quigal.com offers users the ability to search online for top-tier attorneys in their local market. “We felt that giving away a Kindle was the perfect way to launch our product nationally,” said Founder and CEO, Renate Harrison. “The Kindle is an innovative new device that is changing the way people read books and, similarly, Quigal is innovative and new and changing the way the people search for attorneys.”

The sweepstakes will run for a period of two months and participants can enter several ways: (i) by leaving feedback on Quigal’s website – Quigal employees are looking forward to reading the feedback and will consider any added features or changes visitors suggest; (ii) by becoming fans of Quigal on Facebook; and finally, (iii) by becoming followers of Quigal on Twitter.

Quigal.com is one of the first attorney search websites to make extensive use of social networking. Moreover, Quigal.com allows its attorneys to link to their own social networking sites. This is a feature that many other attorney search sites have not yet exploited. Harrison noted that, “At Quigal, we strive to run our site in a way that matches how visitors and businesses use the internet. Many businesses and professionals make use of social networking sites to promote their trade and it just seemed natural that Quigal would allow its attorneys to link to them as well.”

Quigal, LLC, a leading provider of online attorney search services in Massachusetts , announced today that it will be offering nationwide service. Quigal.com is an attorney search engine that allows users to easily search for and quickly contact top quality legal professionals located in their area. Quigal first launched its initial beta website in Massachusetts in October of last year.

“Quigal.com has continued to grow as expected and we are excited to bring this service to users nationwide,” commented Renate Harrison, founder and CEO. “The entire country can now have access to quality attorneys anytime.”

Since first launching its site, Quigal.com has been steadily changing the way the public searches for attorneys online. Its attorney search service allows a user to simultaneously contact up to ten distinguished attorneys by geographical location and practice area.

In preparation for launching nationwide, Quigal.com made sure its database infrastructure was ready to handle the challenges of going national. “We took the time we needed to make sure that our national launch would go smoothly and seamlessly, we know our users expect nothing less,” explained Harrison .

In conjunction with its national launch, Quigal.com has also announced that it will be running a sweepstakes campaign. More information regarding that campaign can be found by visiting www.Quigal.com.

The seminar covered topics ranging f r o m preparing for the trial to continued vigilance after the trial is over. Cole focused his talk on jury selection and the presentation and handling of witnesses and evidence.

“There is absolutely no substitute for trial experience,” he said. “But to get ready for that, you have to hear f r o m people who already have it.”

The seminar was designed around a member-identified need for more education on practical trial skills. While the majority of the approximately 20 participants were new to the field of law, several were seasoned attorneys who just didn’t have a lot of trial experience.

Despite a full caseload at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, Cole says he will always make time to help the NCAJ pursue its Continuing Legal Education (CLE) functions.

“When I just started as an attorney, I’d go to a lot of CLE programs, especially those given by the NCAJ,” said Cole, a 12-year legal veteran. “I was impressed by how many great attorneys were taking the time to teach and share their experiences just to help others become better lawyers. I knew it would be important to give back one day.”

The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin encourages its attorneys to become involved with NCAJ, and the firm as a whole is a member of the group’s Leader’s Forum – the highest level of firm financial contribution recognized by the NCAJ. Most of the firm’s attorneys are NCAJ members, several of whom hold leadership positions.

Cole is extremely active in the NCAJ. He recently received an Order of Service Award f r o m the organization for his contributions to advancing its mission of protecting people’s rights. Other James Scott Farrin attorneys who received Order of Service Awards included: James S. Farrin, Michael Jordan, J. Stewart Clontz and Rick Fleming. Cole currently serves as a member of the Education Committee and is the Listserve Security Officer for the Auto Torts Executive Committee. In addition, he was Editor in Chief of the NCAJ’s newly released North Carolina Manual of Complaints– 3rd Ed. Over the years, he has presented at more than a dozen NCAJ Continuing Legal Education programs.

The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin is proud to announce that Attorney Barry Jennings has recently passed the exam to become a Board Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law.

Board Certified Specialists are lawyers certified by the North Carolina State Bar as having demonstrated special knowledge, skill and proficiency in a specific area of law. The certification process for workers’ compensation law requires at least five years of substantial involvement practicing workers’ compensation law, completing at least 36 hours of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits in workers’ compensation and related legal fields, a satisfactory review by at least five legal peers, and passing a comprehensive written examination.

Prior to joining the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin in 2006, Jennings worked as a defense attorney defending employers against the claims of injured workers. This experience has given him a keen appreciation for workers’ compensation law from both sides of the table.

A graduate of the University of North Carolina School of Law, Jennings currently represents workers who have suffered serious injuries as a result of a work accident. He is a member of The Order of Barristers, the Workplace Injury Litigation Group and the North Carolina Advocates for Justice.

Four of the six Board Certified Specialists in Workers’ Compensation law practicing in the city of Durham work for the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin. In addition, James Scott Farrin Attorney Rick Fleming is a Board Certified Specialist in Social Security Disability Law.

“We are committed to providing top notch legal talent for our clients,” says Founder and President James S. Farrin. “We believe that our experienced, capable attorneys, including our Board Certified Specialists, can make a difference in our client’s cases.”

ABOUT THE FIRM
Founded: 1997 by James S. Farrin, Duke University School of Law, J.D. (1990) in Durham

Number of employees: Approximately 130, including 24 attorneys. Approximately 20 staff members are fluently bilingual, speaking English and Spanish.

Presently leading one of the largest civil rights cases in United States history: In re Black Farmers Discrimination Litigation, Case No. 08-mc-0511 (PLF) (D.D.C.), which deals with the United States Department of Agriculture’s discrimination against African-American farmers.

The firm’s many philanthropic pursuits include Duke Children’s Hospital, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. The firm has a matching-gift program wherein it matches an employee’s philanthropic contributions.

Schillings, the leading law firm protecting the rights and reputations of corporate organisations, high-profile individuals and those in the public eye, has increased its family department to meet the growing demand from its clients, particularly those who want to ensure their family and matrimonial matters are not publicised by the media.

Schillings has recently recruited Davina Hay to join its family law department alongside Keith Schilling, Rachel Atkins and David Greer. A litigator with expertise in family law, Davina advises on separation, divorce and ancillary relief, jurisdictional disputes, multi-jurisdictional divorce cases involving significant assets and enforcement issues. Before she joined Schillings, Davina trained and qualified at a City law firm where she spent six years acting for a number of well known actors, successful entrepreneurs and international clients. She brings with her extensive experience as a litigator and enhances the firm’s provision of advice to high net-worth and high profile individuals in all aspects of divorce, relationship breakdown, ancillary relief, pre- and post-nuptial agreements and private children matters.

Schillings’ family department is led by Keith Schilling, the founder and senior partner of the firm, who represented Shan Lambert in her successful appeal in 2002, achieving the first 50/50 split of assets in a “big money” divorce.

Working alongside Mr Schilling is Partner Rachel Atkins who earlier this year, together with Associate David Greer, acted for a celebrity father in a test case following the introduction of new rules allowing media attendance in family proceedings, and succeeded in application to exclude the media from attending court hearings concerning his child.

When speaking about the growing family department Keith Schilling said, “In the last few years we have seen a significant increase in the demand for advice from high net worth and high profile individuals in connection with matters relating to divorce, often involving multiple jurisdictions, children and most notably pre- and post-nuptial agreements.”

Mr Schilling went on to say, “High net worth individuals and those in the public eye regularly discover their privacy has been invaded or their reputation defamed when details of their personal lives or the breakdown of their relationship are leaked to the press and publicised. It is logical, therefore, to respond to the demand from our clients by strengthening our team and combining our family and matrimonial advice with the firm’s pre-eminent experience in the area of reputation protection, so that we can ensure that press interest is managed to our client’s advantage.”

Speaking about the press interest surrounding high net worth individuals and those in the public eye Davina Hay said, “Clients, even those without a high public profile, are increasingly finding themselves the subject of intrusive press interest following relationship breakdown or in the event of disputes involving children. Aside from the unwanted emotional strain at an already stressful time, the financial consequences of the resulting reputational damage can be devastating. However, it is possible to manage such threats and give clients the space to resolve family issues free from unwanted media scrutiny.”

The Chelsea premiership footballer Michael Essien, represented by London law firm Schillings, has won his libel claim (Case number HQ09X02164) against the People newspaper.

Libel proceedings were issued against MGN Limited, the publisher of the People newspaper, following the publication of two articles. The first article, published on 25 May 2008, carried the headline “Chelsea Cheat Michael Essien: I’ll Stand by my Love Child”. This was followed by another article on 3 May 2009 under the headline “Sex Cheat Star Essien Gets Boot”.

The articles claimed that Mr Essien had cheated on his long term partner by having numerous affairs with other women and fathered a child behind his partner’s back. As a result, his partner had called off their wedding. These allegations were found to be false and grossly defamatory towards Mr Essien.

The People has accepted that these allegations are untrue, and has paid Mr Essien substantial damages as well as agreeing to pay his legal costs. The People have also undertaken not to repeat the allegations.

In its apology, the People said: “On 25 May 2008 and 3 May 2009 we reported that Michael Essien had cheated on his long term girlfriend Nadia Buari by having numerous affairs behind her back including one in which he fathered a child. On 3 May we reported that as a result of his behaviour Ms Buari called their wedding off. We now accept that these allegations are untrue. We apologise to Mr Essien for any distress or embarrassment caused.”

A representative of Schillings who represented Michael Essien said: “There has been a lot of inaccurate reporting concerning Michael and he was not prepared to allow this misreporting to continue.”

Schillings also said that, “these allegations were not put to Michael or his representatives prior to publication and had the People done so they would have been informed of their utter falsity.”

Caroline McAteer of The Sports PR Company said on behalf of Michael Essien: “Michael is delighted to have won his case and to have set the record straight. He would have preferred not to take action, but had no alternative in this case. Michael is pleased that this matter has now been resolved.”